It’s never too late to change career…!

People change jobs all the time; however, people do not change careers as much. Job

change involves making a decision to actually change job, searching for similar jobs in other

organisations, applying for the job i.e., CV or Competency-based Application Form and being

invited to / completing an Interview or Competency-based Interview.

Career change is a different animal, as they say! Career change involves making a decision

to `leave / transition from your current role, area of expertise into a brand-new field / area.

You will have transferable skills that you can bring with you; however, generally it is a brand-

new career / source of income that will involve risk, resilience and determination.

To make this new career a reality, you will need and must have a genuine passion, interest

and enthusiasm for it.

There must be opportunities for employment in it too i.e., either self- employment or

working as an employee and it must generate an income similar or close to

your current (sometimes starting to work in a brand-new career, could mean you starting

again at the lower end of the pay scale for that particular career / job).

Ask yourself these questions, as you consider / contemplate transitioning from your current

job / career into a brand-new career / job, with the intention of they helping you make a

‘considered’ decision, a decision that could / potentially will change your life:

Why are you leaving your current job / career?

o Really think about why you want to leave your current area of work,

expertise, experience; what is making you unhappy, the job, work colleagues,

your boss, your clients / customers; is this a short term issue or has this being

niggling at me for a long, long time?

What do you ‘want’ in this new career?

o List down what you actually ‘want’ and want to achieve in this new career,

with respect to work, new learning and personally; does my current job /

career have these or not?

Will this new career meet your ‘wants’?

o When you have listed down your ‘wants’, carefully analyse, evaluate and

consider if this new career will actually meet your wants, needs, likes and

expectations

Will I have to upskill / re-train to make this new career a reality?

o It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid having to invest significant

amounts of time, energy and finance in further education, training, upskilling

to make this new career a reality

Will there be job opportunities?

o You need to consider that when you have made the decision to change

career, invested in a new qualification / skill, that there will be jobs to apply

for at the end or a way of generating income easily

What will be the time-line?

o What will be the time-period from once you make the decision to change

career to generating a new income? Realistically, it will probably be months; however, more than likely it could be a year or years, depending on what

career you choose

What will it all mean financially?

o This is probably the main stipulation of changing careers. Can I afford the

possible time-period of not working? What would be the ‘starting-off’ pay?

Or can I stay working in my current job, while I am transitioning and re-

educating myself on a part-time basis?

Whatever way you look at it, career change is a big deal; however, if you have a passion for

something and want it badly enough, go for it, it is never too late…’Just do it’…!